Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

effective support to the mobilization of thecountry’s resources through the private sector,including efficiently providing the neededphysical, legal and commercial infrastructureand institutional frameworks, while taking actionto meet the pressing needs of the poor andmost vulnerable members of the society. Thisstrategy recognizes the need to highlight thelessons learned over the past six years. Thesehave been reflected in common themes that runthroughout the ANDS.The ANDS provides a renewed emphasis onmobilizing private sector investment, both becauseof the limited resources available relativeto the tasks at hand, and also because of themuch greater efficiency evident with privatesector operations compared to either stateowned enterprises, Ministry implementationefforts, and donor funded and implementedactivities. This principle is reflected in most ofthe sector strategies under this pillar. A modelfor these efforts to be considered is what hasbeen accomplished in the telecommunicationssector. Of course, for many reasons, it is easierto establish a good enabling environment andregulatory framework for telecommunicationsservices than it is to bring private investmentinto the development of natural resources, infrastructureand public utilities or even provisionof educational and health care services. Anumber of the approaches set out in the ANDSare either built on enabling private investmentto play a greater role in sectors presently dominatedby state operations (e.g., power, mining)or to carrying out pilot projects to test the potentialfor doing so (e.g., education and commercialagriculture utilizing state owned land).An attempt has been made to create more focusedministries and government agencies.based on well defined mandates, in line withtheir capabilities within the appropriate role ofthe public sector activities, and with mechanismsin place to efficiently monitor and evaluatetheir performance. In some cases, past attemptsto establish the role of government inthe economic and social development process,for state building purposes, left Ministries andgovernment agencies with very broad and unrealisticmandates and objectives.Efforts are also being made to devolve responsibilitiesfor narrower tasks to result-orienteddepartments or authorities, and providing themanagers of these institutions with sufficientauthority to achieve results. Thus, responsibilityfor Urban Development is being devolveddown to Municipalities, where municipal leadersare expected to be more responsive to realisticneeds of their cities and more accountableto their residents for municipal services. Similardevolution of both operational control andresponsibility is at the heart of the NationalSolidarity Program’s efforts to enable CommunityDevelopment Councils implement projectsto the benefit of their communities. Accordingly,independent regulatory authorities willbe established with well defined mandates toencourage private sector investment and put inplace regulatory frameworks needed to assureeffective competition. For example, river basinauthorities will eventually be given greaterautonomy and responsibility for developmentof the five major river basins in the country; aCivil Aviation Authority will be given greaterresponsibility for civil aviation developmentand safety. Various regulatory authorities arealready being given a mandate to create theconditions necessary for attracting private investmentwhile maintaining a competitivemarket place. At the same time, provincial governorsare being given greater responsibility tooversee development activities in their relevantprovinces, to be coordinated by the IndependentDepartment for Local Governance underthe supervision of the President for more efficiency.134Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS)